Spring hook



Oct. 20, 1936. J. D. SPALD|NG 2,058,186

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Patented Oct. 2 0,- 1936 UNITED As'rlvrlazs PATENT OFFICE SPRING HOOK John D. Spalding, Los Angeles, Calif., signor to The National Superior Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application May 8, 1934, Serial No. 724,503

13 Claims. (Cl. 294-82) This invention relates to spring hooks, n and more particularly that type of spring hook illustrated, for example, in the patent to Young, No. 1,519,430, which hooks are employed particularly in connection with rotary well drilling operations. y

A springhook as utilized in connection with rotary well drilling operaticnsincludes a hooked member which is suspended from the hoisting cable utilized for the raising or lowering of the rotary drilling stem, and the hookis supported in such a manner upon a spring that under normal loaded conditions the spring is contracted so that a solid hooked member is provided and the spring comes into action when the sections of the drill stem are uncoupled so that a tension is maintained upon the threads of the coupling of the sections of drill pipe during the unthreading operation and so as to yieldably move the uncoupled section of drill stem away from the remainder of the drill stem when a threaded connection is broken.

An object of this invention is to provide a means for the regulation ofthe recoil of the hook member when one section of the drill stem is unthreaded from the remaining sections of thedrill stem and the connectingthreads of the section are released.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved releasable locking device in such a spring hook for securing the hook member against rotation relative to its support.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation mainly in vertical mid-section of a spring hook illustrating one einbodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, but on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a'sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Figure l on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is an elevation of a lock ring embodied in my invention.

Figure 6 is a. side elevation mainly in vertical mid-section of a further modified form .of the spring hook embodied in my invention.

Figure I is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 1 1 of Figure 6 on an enlarged scale.

` Figure 8 is a sectional end elevation taken substantially on the line 8 8 of Figure on an en- 5 larged scale.

Figure 9 isv an elevation of the wrench element illustrated in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmental sectional elevation of a modied form of the snubbing device as em' 10 bodied in the modification ofrmy invention illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure y11 is a fragmental sectional elevation showing a further modication of the snubbing device illustrated in the modification of my in- 15 vention shown by Figure 1.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, my invention is illustrated as including a hook i having a shank 2 supported relative to a crosshead 3. A bail 4 is carried by trunnions 5 of 20 the crosshead 3 and. provides a means by which the hook may be suspended from the hoisting cable in a rotary drilling rig.

The hook I is supported with reference tothe crosshead 3 by means of the carrying'element 6 25 through which the shank 2 is extended. 'Ihe carrying element 6 provides a housing for the shank 2 and likewise for the supporting spring 'i which is mounted within the carrying element 6 in position to engage at one end theendflange 8 of 30 the element 6 and at its opposite end the bearing 9, which is secured in position on the shank Z'by means of a stop collar I0. f

Thespring 1 may be of any suitable or desirable construction and is herein illustrated as 35 being formed of tandem springs 1' and` l". v A shoulder I I is formed within the carrier 6 in posi-v tion to engage the bearing 9 when the load is imposed upon the hook I to compress the spring 1. The shoulder Il is preferably so positioned that 40 the bearing 9 engages the shoulder il before the springs 1 and 1" are pressedinto coil contact. Under such conditions of normal load, the hook l Y may rotate upon the bearing 9 within the'carrier member 6. 45

When the drill pipe as employed in connection with the rotary drilling operation is uncoupled at the couplings generally employed in the art and known as tool Joints, the spring i acts to Vmalntain a tension between the sections being discon- 50 nected at all times tending to separate the sections so that the spring 'i normally functions to lift the upper section of the pipe out of engagement with the lowerwsection of the tool joint when the last threads become disengaged. 55

In order to regulate the action of the spring 1 in lifting the upper section of drill pipe away from the lower section upon disengagement of the connecting threads, I prefer to provide a friction snubber to dampen the velocity of the hook and upper section of the drill stem as it is disconnected in order to reduce the tendency of said spring to cause damage to the threads being disconnected and of the hook to cause the disconnected section of drill pipe to jump in the derrick as the threaded connection is released.

In the modification of my invention as illustrated in Figure 1, the friction snubbing device means includes a plurality of segmental friction shoes I2 which are positioned within the interior of the carrier member or sleeve 6 in position to frlctionally engage the interior periphery of the carrier and thereby dampen the upward movement of the shank 2 through the carrier 6 under the inlluence of the spring 1 when the load is released from the hook I. The shoes I2 are formed with upper and lower tapered surfaces I3 and I4. The shoes I2 are supported on a sleeve I5 having at its lower end a iianged tapered portion I5 e a complementary tapered face I4 of the shoes I2. A ring I1 surrounds a portion of the sleeve I5 and is provided with a tapered seat to engage the complementary tapered seat I3 formed on the shoes I2. A flange I3 is threaded to the sleeve I5 andA provides one abutment for a spring I3 which at its opposite end engages the upper face of the ring I1. The spring I3 is under load and tends to force the tapered sections IB and I1 together with the result that the shoes I2 are forced radially outward to engage the inner periphery of the carrier i and maintain a frictional load against the action oi the spring 1.

This frictional load may be varied by variation of the degree of taper of the complementary tapered faces of the shoes I2, sleeve I5 and ring I1, or by varying the initial load of the spring I3, or by use of springs I9 of different capacities, or by providing an adjustable means to vary the operating height of the spring I 9 such, for example, as providing an adjustable connection between the flange I3 and the sleeve I 5 to enable the initial compression of the spring I9 to be adjusted between the flange I8 and the ring I1.

The extension of the shank 2 and hook I extends into the sleeve I5 to engage the shoulder 2I formed within the sleeve I5. The extension 20 has a portion 22 of reduced diameter which fits within a reduced bore 23 of the sleeve I5.

In order to connect the sleeve I5 with the hook extension 22 to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the shank 2 of the hook I and the frictional snubbing device, and to provide a releasable connecting means by which the snubbing device may be rendered inoperative when desired as, for example, when screwing together successive sections of the drill pipe, the following means are preferably provided;

On the reduced portion 22 of the extension 2l of the shank 2 within the sleeve I5 there is provided an annular groove 24. Formed through the sleeve I5 is a pin-receiving bore 25 through which a connecting pin 26 is removably passed. Inorder to releasably secure the connecting pin 26 in position and to prevent accidental displacement of the pin 2G, a spring-urged pawl detent 21 is provided to engage in a notch 28 formed in the pin 25.

'Ihe upper end of the carrier or housing 6 is closed by the ange I3. and in order to prevent the introduction of foreign into the in- I terior'of thecarrier I, the ilange I 3 may be provided with packing 29.

'In order to limit the upper travel of the snubbing unit, a cap 30 isprovided which is threaded into the upper end of the carrier 5 and may if desired be provided with a resilient rubber facing 3I to cushion the impact of the snubbing unit.

In order to provide a releasable locking means for releasably holding the shank 2 of the hook I from rotation relative to the carrier 6, I provide a housing 32 which is secured to the lower end of the carrier 6.

A locking disc 33 having integrally formed keys 34 is mounted within the housing 32 with the keys 34 tting within longitudinally splined recesses 35 formed in the shank 2 of the hook I. The locking disc 33 is normally free to rotate with the shank 2. A transverse bore 38 intersects the annular opening within which the disc,33 is mounted, and mounted in the transverse bore 36 is a lock pin 31 which has va curved recess 33 formed to frictionally engage the periphery of the disc 33 upon tightening of the nut 33 of the lock pin 31, and thus frictionally hold the hook I from rotation relative to thev carrier i ywithout affecting the free relative reciprocating action of the same members. n

In order to facilitate assembly, the disc 33 is made in two pieces secured together by means sox of rivets 40 such, for example. as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

y In order to provide for free swiveling of the hook I with reference toy the housing 32 when the hook is in the position as' illustrated in Figure 1, I prefer to provide an anti-friction bearing 4I between the lshoulder 42 of the hook I and the housing 32. The lower portion of the bearing 4I may be provided with a resilient snubbing ring 43 such, for example, as rubber, for cushioning the impact resulting when the shoulder 42 engages the bearing 4I. A cap 44 holds the bearing .assembly 4I in position within the housing 32.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figures 6 to 9, inclusive, similar parts are illustrated with similar numerals with the addition of an exponent "a" thereto.

In this modification of my invention, the friction snubbing means includes a plurality of segmental friction shoes I2at which are positioned within the bore of a housing 46a which is secured to the upper end of the carrier or sleeve 68. The shoes I2n are provided at their upper and lower ends with tapered faces I3'L and I4, respectively. The sleeve I5* has a anged tapered end I6EL which engages the complementary tapered face I4 of the shoes I2, A ring I1n is mounted upon the sleeve I5'L and is provided with a tapered seat to engage the complementary tapered face I3a ofv the shoes I2. A spring I 9a is mounted between the ange I6* and the ring I1a to vforce the tapered portions IIa and I1a against their respective seats I 3a and I4 with the result thatthe shoes |22 are forced radially outward against the inner periphery of the housing 46. A flange I8L is threadedto the sleeve I5a to cooperate with the cap 30* to provide a stop for the sleeve I5. The cap 30 has a dome portion 41a to completely enclose the upper end of the housing 46B. A packing 48* around the lower end of the shank 2a forms a seal to prevent the entrance of foreign matter into the interior of the carrier 6 and likewise to prevent leakage of lubricant contained within the sleeve 6*.

A shank 2 is threaded in the collar I0n to the extension 20. engage the shoulder 2 I* formed withinthe sleeve |58. Threaded to the reduced portion 22* of the extension 2liL is a'stop nut I9* in position spaced from the top of the sleeve I5Il to provide a shoulder spaced a distance from the top of the sleeve I5. This distance is. provided to permit free action of the springs 1n as the mating tool joint threads are unscrewing without any retarding effect from the friction snubber. This distance represents the amount of axial movement of the hook'corresponding to the actual travel required to unscrew the joint before the threads become fully disengaged.

When the hook is loaded with the bearing 9* seated on the shoulder Il, the friction shoes I2l are moved downwardly in the housing bore by the nut 49 a distance equal to the distance of travelof the bearing 9a to the shoulder IIl minus the distance represented by the spacing of the nut 49 above the end of the sleeve I5. Correspondingly, upon the hook being moved upwardly under the action of the spring I, the shoulder on the extension 20 does not engage the shoulder 2 Ia on the sleeve I5el until the hook has raised a distance equal to the spacing of the nut I9* above the end of the sleeve ISB. With the construction as thus provided the frictional snubbing action is delayed until the screw threads are substantially fully disengaged.

Means are provided for locking the stem 2 of the hook la from rotation relative to the housing or carrier 6, which means are substantially of the same construction as illustrated in connection with the modification shown in Figures l to 5 with the exception of the location of the lock means which are'in accordance with this modification of my invention located at the` upper portion of the carrier 6 and include a disc 33' having a non-circular opening 34e. The extension 2lia of the shank 2B is of a similar non-circular cross-section.

A lock pin 31B having a curved recess 38 is passed through a bore 36e formed in the carrier Iia and is actuated by means of the nut 39' to frictionally engage the periphery of the disc 33a and prevent relative rotation of the hook Ia and the carrier 6e. A wrench 50ai is pivotally mounted on the nut 39 and is locked in position when inoperative by means of a spring clip 5I* tting within a recess formed in the wrench.,

The wrench is swung into position as shown in the dotted lines of Figure 8 when in use to rotate the nut 39.

In Figures 10 and 11 there are illustrate modified forms of construction described in connection with Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. These modifications differ only from the structure heretofore described in connection with Figures 1 to 5 inclusive in the provision of tapered bores 52b and 52, respectively. The friction shoes I2 and I2c are correspondingly tapered. Tapered bore 5.2b increases the resistance to upward travel of the hook due to the radial contraction of the shoes I2rb when traveling upward. The radial contraction of the shoes I2b forces the separation of the tapered portions IS" and IIb against the resistance of the spring I9".

In the modification as illustrated in Figure 11, the effectiveness of the snubbing action is increased on downward travel of the hook owing to radial contraction of the shoes I2 upon downward movement. The use of the features of the modified construction as illustrated in Figures 10 The extension 20'L is adapted to and 11 could obviously be'incorporated in the I lmodified structure of Figures 6to 8 inclusive. v

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention Is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto,l yieldable means between said members for resisting longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member relative to the supporting member, frictional snubbing meansoperatlve solely to retard the free longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member, and means to render said snubbing means operative or inoperative as desired..

2. In a hook assembly, in combinatioma supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member land adapted for longitudinal movement relative theretmyieldable means between said members for resisting longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member relative to the supporting member, frictional snubbing means to retard the free longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member, and means for connecting and disconnecting said snubbing means to the hook carrying member.

3. In a hook assembly, incombination, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto. yieldable means between said members for resisting longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member relative to the `supporting member, frictional snubbing means to retard the free longitudinal movement of the hookcarrying member, and means for connecting and disconnecting said snubbing means to and from the hook carrying member, r said hook carrying member being capable of rotation relative to the snubbing means when either connected or disconnected. A

4. In a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a. hook carrying member carried rby'said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto,

an element within one of said members, means cooperating with said element and the other of said members to provide a relative longitudinally slidable non-rotatable connection therewith', releasable means carried by the member containing said element to engage said element to prevent able means on the other of said members to engage said element to prevent rotation of said element relative thereto, and means accessible exteriorly of said members and cooperating with the releasable means to render the latter operative or inoperative as desired.

6. In a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto, an element, means cooperating with said element and one of said members to provide a relative longitudinally slidable non-rotatable connection therewith, and releasable friction means on the other of said members adapted to frictionally engage said element to prevent rotation of said element relative thereto.

'7; In a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting memberand adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, yieldable means between said members for resisting longitudinal movement of the hook member relative to the supporting member, and frictional snubbing means to retard the freelongitudinal movement of the hook carrying member, said snubbing means being inoperative during a limited portion of the longitudinal travel of the hook carrying member.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body, a shank disposed within the body, means for supportingthe shank with reference to the body, a lock ring, means for securing the lock ring to the shank to permit of longitudinal movement of the shank with reference to the lock ring and to hold the lock ring from rotation relative to the shank, and means extending from the exterior of the body to within the body and operative to releasably engage the lock ring to hold the lock ring and shank from rotation relative to the body.

9. In a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, yieldable means betweensaid members for resisting relative longitudinal movement, a plurality of friction shoes adapted to engage a complementary friction surface on said supporting member, these shoes being formed with opposed tapered surfaces, wedge means carried by the hook carrying member and engaging the tapered surfaces on said shoes, and spring means cooperating with said wedge means to yieldably urge said shoes into frictional engagement with the complementary friction surface on the supporting member.

10. In a hook assembly, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by the supporting member and adapted for longitudinal movement relative thereto, yieldable means between bers and' engaging the tapered surfaces on said 1 shoes, and spring means cooperating with said wedge means to yieldably urge said shoes outwardly into frictional engagement with the com-V plementary friction surface.

11. In a hook assembly, a member,

a shank member having a hook mounted axially of the supporting member and adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto, pre-loaded spring means carried by the supporting member for supporting the shank, thrust bearing means to rotatably support said shank, resiiientmeans to cushion the impact between the shank member and the supporting member incident to releasing the load on said hook, and antifriction thrust-bearing means interposed between the resilient means and the supporting member.

12. In a hook assembly, a supporting member, a hook carrying member carried by said supporting member and adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement relative thereto, yieldable means between said members for roasting longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member relative to the supporting member, lfrictional snubbing means to retard the free longitudinal movement of the hook carrying member, and means to connect the snubbing means with the hook carrying member, said connecting means being formed to permit rotation of the hook carrying member rdative to the snubbing means.

13. In-a hook assembly, in combination, a supporting member, a hook carrying shank member mounted axially of the supporting member, an element secured to the shank member defining a supporting shoulder, resilient means mounted on said supporting member, thrust bearing means between said resilient means and the supporting shoulder on said shank member, a lock ring carried by the supporting member, said ring having a slidable and non-rotatable connectionwith the shank member, and means carried by the snpporting member operative to releasably engage the lock ring to hold the shank member from rotation relative to the supporting member.

' JOHN D. SPALDING. 

